Chapter 3: The Capital

Of course like any good noble, keeping an appearance is crucial when faced with such a society. And so they were required to attend the princess' debutante ball.

A debutante ball is where a young girl makes her first big impression and so it was extremely important. Usually, girls would hold the ball around sixteen to eighteen years old, and so naturally Arisanna had to hold one soon as well.

Rumors are the last thing you would want. Anything that affected reputation is something everyone had to be stingy with.

Thus, Arisanna, Reynold, and Theodore boarded the carriage and made their way to the capital.

Arisanna had been to the capital before as a child and so she knew what it was like.

To describe it in a phrase, it was the gathering of stuck-up people. Anything other than that would be considered incorrect.

It was the main site of the social scene. If you want to make a name for yourself, you go to the capital. They host so many parties trying to upstage one another.

It is also the birthplace of the hottest gossip as all everyone does there is judge one another. From their clothing and ability to converse, it never escapes the sights of noble families who run the social scenes.

Due to being the capital, the city under the direct common of the Royal Family, the best of everything is there. The best schools, shops, boutiques, you name it, it has it.

Honestly, the capital isn't all that bad. Besides the socializing, Arisanna liked going there purely because they have the largest library in the palace, a place where she had the privileged to visit. It has all the different books, even silly bedtime stories her mother would always read to her and her brother at night when they were kids.

The Blanchettes were dropped off at the place they owned while the Grand Duke's family would be dropped off at the palace in order to deliver their greetings.

"Good luck Theo! Try not to die!" Reynold joked.

"I'll see you all soon enough anyway," he laughed.

"Ah- don't underestimate the social scene here. You need all the luck you can get," Arisanna smiled.

Theodore smiled and waved at them.

So, here they were, finally arriving at the capital.

They all got settled down into their respective rooms and soon gathered around the dinner table that night.

"The princess' debutante ball would soon arrive in a couple of days. Before that, we have to go and greet the Royal Family, so we will do so tomorrow," their father started.

"I already sent a letter out to the Royal Family so there is no avoiding it."

"We should prepare the clothes soon then. We also probably need to visit a few boutiques to get new clothes that would be on trend," their mother sighed.

"We could also wear the clothes from the Northern Territory the day we go tomorrow. We are from the North and so it would be more meaningful to wear something of our culture's trend no?" Arisanna suggested.

"That is true, but we still need new clothes for the princess's coming-of-age ceremony. We also can not be seen wearing the same clothes twice by the public," her mother frowned.

"Father, do we also need to greet other households?" asked Reynold.

"I believe so. We need to greet a few people after the princess' debutante ball."

He then looked at them and smiled, "But when we are done with the formalities, you are free to do whatever you want."

They all smiled and happily chatted about their own plans while eating.

***

At night, Reynold suddenly came inside Arisanna's room. He carried a tray of hot chocolate.

At the sight of her brother, she got down from her bed and closed her book. She walked toward the table and couches set up in her room.

They both sat down and Arisanna asked, "What's wrong?"

"About… your suitors," he hesitantly brought up.

Arisanna grinned, "You worried?"

"I am being serious here," he sighed.

"Well? You worried about who I am going to marry?"

"How am I not worried? Who knows who would force you into a marriage?"

"You know Mother and Father won't ever force me."

"I know but you will soon have to find someone."

He bore a sullen look on his face as he looked down at his mug.

Arisanna stood up and sat next to her worried brother.

"You know I won't marry someone unless I let you fully assess them," she looked up at the chandelier.

She then turned her head towards her brother, "Trust me a bit more. I will be okay. I am strong. I will never let anyone actually hurt me."

Her brother looked at her smile as she made a small head tilt.

He then slowly began to smile, "Be careful, and don't fall for anyone stupid."

"I should be telling you that!"

"I can worry for myself."

She then took a sip, "No seriously, compared to men who court women, women who try to get men's attention are people who are far scarier."

He rolled his eyes, "As if I am going to be attractive by those who force themselves on me."

She laughed, "Ah~ A young lady will one day look so pitiful that you would have no choice but fall for her."

"Wouldn't you immediately chase her out?"

"Who do you think I am? Chasing them out would become my past-time."

After they joked around, Reynold returned to his room shortly after.

She once again was lonely.

Arisanna lightly twirled her fingers. A small butterfly appeared and it extinguished the lights.

The only source of light was the bright moon outside her room shining its light into her room.

She silently opened the window doors and felt the light breeze.

'These days are going to be hectic' she sighed.

She sat there for a bit before turning herself in.